Shevardnadze Sees no Tragedy in Keeping Current Election System

(Tbilisi, June 30, 2003, Civil Georgia) – Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze considers acceptable to hold parliamentary elections under the current election code. 

?The Parliamentary factions are responsible for amending the election code and compromise is necessary in this regard. Otherwise, the elections will be held according to the old code, I do not think it would tragedy,? President Shevardnadze said in his Monday radio broadcast on June 30.

Shevardnadze said that he is ready to meet with the representatives of the opposition and pro-governmental parties, however, as he said, this will occur after they reach a consensus in the Parliament.

The President thinks that his participation in this process is untimely, since even the opposition parties can not reach an agreement among themselves.

International organizations urge the Georgian authorities to adopt a new election code, however the opposition and the pro-Presidential political parties fail to agree over the rule of composition of the Central Election Commission, that hinder election system reform.

The Georgian President plans to make a special appeal to the nation in the nearest days to underline the commitment of the government towards the fair, democratic and transparent elections.

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